18-month term for cutting up corpse

CALGARY Dismembering the body of a woman and dumping most of her remains in a park has landed a Calgary man an 18-month jail term.

Joshua Weise was also placed on three years probation Wednesday, after provincial court Judge Mike Dinkel ruled treatment for his addiction was paramount.

Dinkel agreed with Crown prosecutor Ken McCaffrey a sentence in the range of 18 to 24 months was warranted on a charge of interfering with human remains.

Defence counsel Rebecca Snukal had argued for a sentence of 12 months which, with credit for time already served, would have left Weise less than a month more in custody.

“Although unsophisticated in nature, the offence involved significant elements of planning,” Dinkel said, in outlining the aggravating circumstances that called for a term of at least 18 months.

Dinkel noted Weise had been doing drugs with mother-of-three Joey English when he left his apartment to complete a drug deal.

When he returned he found the woman had overdosed and, instead of calling authorities, Weise panicked because he feared he would lose access to his own kids.

“The offender placed the victim’s body under his bed for 24 hours before proceeding,” Dinkel said.

Weise used a hacksaw and knife to cut off English’s limbs, tossing them in the garbage before placing the remainder of her body in a suitcase.

He then dumped those remains in Crescent Heights Park, just off Centre Street N.

“It was clearly to cover up the fact she died from drugs he provided,” Dinkel said of Weise’s decision to dismember and dispose of her remains.

“The offender’s motive for dismembering and disposing of the body was purely selfish,” the judge said.

Conditions of Weise’s probation include three months of house arrest followed by another three months living under a curfew.

He’s prohibited from consuming alcohol or non-prescribed drugs for the full 36 months.

McCaffrey called Dinkel’s sentence a “well-reasoned decision.”

But he said no matter what the judge did, it wouldn’t be able to satisfy the woman’s loved ones.

“Nothing’s going to bring back Joey English, and the family, I’m sure, will be upset with how low the sentence is,” he said.

“What makes it difficult is the limits placed on the judges and the Crown prosecutors.”

McCaffrey did say the 18 months should act as a deterrent to others.

“The judge gave a sentence at the higher end of the range that’s allowed for.”

The dead woman’s mother, Stephanie English, said at least Weise will be kept off Calgary streets for a period of time.

“I know that he’s not on the streets anymore,” she said, of the nearly seven months Weise will have to serve after credit for his pre-sentencing custody.

English’s mother said she relies on her spirituality to deal with her grief.

“Today I still can’t bury my daughter in full, but her body was only gifted to her, her spirit is at home,” she said.

“It’s her children that are the ones who are suffering.”

While on probation, Weise will be prohibited from contacting his victim’s relatives, including her three children.